4 Westmoreland County 800 MHz Radio Standard Operating GuidelinesAddressing the Communications CenterField units attempting to contact the Dispatch Console should initially identify the talkgroup they are calling on.Fire Dispatch from Chief 39 on Zone 1 Fire Command, or…9-1-1 from Chief 69 on TAC 3Once initial contact is made with the center, it is no longer necessary to identify the talkgroup you are calling on, unless you change to a different talkgroup.

5 Westmoreland County 800 MHz Radio Standard Operating GuidelinesAddressing the Communications CenterPlease note…When the dispatcher is setting off the tones for your siren and minitors, he is unable to answer you on the radio if you call him.The console is busy.Please be patient. He will answer you as soon as the dispatch is complete.If there is someone at the backup console, he can answer you.

6 Westmoreland County 800 MHz Radio Standard Operating GuidelinesUnit IdentifiersFire Service Officers33 Chief or Chief 33Assistant or 102 Assistant 1Non Officers or 1st RespondersPortable 58 – 2 or 58 Portable 2Fire Service VehiclesEngine 113 – 2 or 113 Engine 2104 Rescue or Rescue 104Know who you are or what radio you are using

7 Westmoreland County 800 MHz Radio Standard Operating GuidelinesOfficers Reporting in ServiceChief Officers and AssistantsOfficer Who May Act as Command (OIC)In-Service or Enroute Switching to TAC 3Will Be Acknowledged by the DispatcherOther Officers and PersonnelMake General Announcement on Command ChannelWill Not Be Acknowledged by the Dispatcher

9 Westmoreland County 800 MHz Radio Standard Operating GuidelinesAssignment of Fire “TAC” ChannelsTAC’s Assigned by DispatcherFire TAC 3 through TAC 9Assigned Primarily for EMERGENCY UseTAC 10 & TAC 11May Be Assigned for Non-Emergency UseTrees and/or wires down, flooding, etc.May Be Used for Department TrainingRequests must be made in advance by telephone or faxMay Be Re-Assigned for Emergency Use During Times of High Call Volumes

11 Westmoreland County 800 MHz Radio Standard Operating GuidelinesAssignment of Fire “TAC” ChannelsDispatcher will assign an operations channel (TAC) during dispatch of incidentRequest for Additional TAC ChannelIncident OIC May Request Additional TAC ChannelDispatcher Will Assign Second or Third TAC, if AvailableStand-bys Will Remain on Zone CommandDo Not Assign Your Own TAC

12 Westmoreland County 800 MHz Radio Standard Operating GuidelinesAssignment of Fire “TAC” ChannelsDispatching outside companies into areas with municipal radio systems for alarmsAssigned to Municipal System’s Frequencyie. Switch to Hempfield FireDispatcher Assisted Announcements Will be on the Municipal System and 33.70Dispatching outside companies for stand-by into areas with municipal radio systemsRemain on Zone CommandAnnouncements Made on Zone Command and 33.70

13 Westmoreland County 800 MHz Radio Standard Operating GuidelinesAssignment of Fire “TAC” ChannelsDispatching of companies with municipality owned radio systems out of their area for alarms or stand-bySwitch to Assigned a Fire TAC ChannelDispatcher announcements will be made on both the municipality system and Fire TAC channelSize-UpsResponse level changesCancellations

15 Westmoreland County 800 MHz Radio Standard Operating GuidelinesZone Fire Command ChannelsAdditional Call(s) in Service AreaDispatcher Will Instruct OIC to Switch to Their Command Talkgroup / ChannelOIC Will Instruct Center on How to Handle the CallRequest second alarmSend units not committed at original scene

17 Westmoreland County 800 MHz Radio Standard Operating GuidelinesSize-Ups and Additional InformationAddressing the Communications CenterDispatcher Will Rebroadcast MessageAssigned Fire TAC and 33.70Direct Communications to Incoming UnitsDispatcher Not InvolvedTransmission Will Not be RebroadcastThe 800 MHz Radio System is a Wide-Area, Simulcast System and it is Not Necessary to Involve the Dispatcher on Every Transmission

18 Westmoreland County 800 MHz Radio Standard Operating GuidelinesDispatcher Assisted InformationResponse Level ChangesCommand Contacts Communications CenterDispatcher Rebroadcasts InformationAssigned Fire TAC and 33.70CancellationsIndividual Units Released from an Incident Should Call “In Service” on the Command ChannelCancelled Units Will be Placed Back In-ServiceUnits Will be Considered Available for Calls

19 Westmoreland County 800 MHz Radio Standard Operating GuidelinesAdditional InformationTermination of CommandOnce Incident Command has been Terminated, it is NOT Necessary for the Individual Units to Acknowledge “In Service – Returning”The Dispatcher Will Clear All Units from the Incident and Show them AvailableClear the TAC Channel

21 Westmoreland County 800 MHz Radio Standard Operating GuidelinesInteroperabilityTAC 12 through TAC 15County-Wide (CW) TAC ChannelsCommon to all Radios on the SystemPolice, Fire, EMS, EMA, Hazmat, Public WorksMay be Used for Large Scale Emergencies & EventsMay be Used for Multi-Agency ResponsesRequest for Availability and Assignment Must be Made Through the DispatcherDispatcher Will Notify and Switch All Agencies to CW TAC Assignment

22 Westmoreland County 800 MHz Radio Standard Operating GuidelinesInteroperabilityTAC 16Talkaround or T/ASpecific T/A for Each ServiceDesigned for Close Range CommunicationsNot Recommended for Emergency, Hazardous or Potentially Hazardous Areas of ActivityNot on 800MHz Digital SystemDispatcher Can’t Hear YouEmergency Button Activation Does Not Work

24 Westmoreland County 800 MHz Radio Standard Operating GuidelinesInteroperabilityOut of County AssistsHelicopters and Landing ZonesUse Low Band ZONE Operations FrequencyDispatcher May Assign a TAC Channel and Patch the TAC Channel to the Low Band ZONE Operations ChannelChannel Patching is the process of interconnecting the digital TAC channel to the conventional system via a voice-activated interface

30 Westmoreland County 800 MHz Radio Standard Operating GuidelinesMonitoring Calls From Other AgenciesDo Not Switch to TAC Channels You Are Not Assigned ToChanging TAC’s Uses Resources and May Create Busy SignalsAccidental Mic Keys or EBA Will Interfere with Fireground Operation

31 Westmoreland County 800 MHz Radio Standard Operating GuidelinesMonitoring Calls From Other AgenciesIf You Must Monitor Someone Else’s CallPlace the TAC Channel You Wish to Monitor into Your Scan GroupThis Will Allow You to Listen to the TAC Channel Without Taking Up Valuable Resources on the SystemTalking or Listening Across Zones Will Tie-up a Frequency in Each Zone9 Frequencies in the West (11%)6 Frequencies in the East (17%)

32 Westmoreland County 800 MHz Radio Standard Operating GuidelinesEmergency Button Activations (EBA)Each Radio is Equipped with an Emergency ButtonOrange Button on Top of PortableRed Button on Front of Mobile and Control StationUsed For Immediate Life-Threatening Situations Which Require an Immediate Response

33 Westmoreland County 800 MHz Radio Standard Operating GuidelinesEmergency Button ActivationsEBA Activation is Received by CenterCommunications Center Will Attempt Voice Contact with Unit Transmitting EBAIf Contact is UnsuccessfulAlert Tone TransmittedAnnouncement Made on Dispatch, Command Channel, Appropriate TAC Channel and TAC Channel EBA was Received, if Different than Assigned TACIf Possible the Unit Transmitting the EBA Should Contact the CenterIdentify Themselves, Location and Nature

34 Westmoreland County 800 MHz Radio Standard Operating GuidelinesEmergency Button ActivationIf EBA Radio is on a Specific IncidentIncident Commander Will Be NotifiedIf IC Determines EBA to be Possibly ValidAdditional Alert Tone Will be GivenAnnouncement made on Dispatch, Command Channel, Appropriate TAC channel and TAC channel EBA was Received on, if Different Than Assigned TACAnnouncement Made to Clear the Channel EBA was onNew TAC channel Will be Assigned for IncidentIC Advised of Which TAC the EBA was Activated onRIT ActivatedAttempts Made to Communicate with EBA Radio

35 Westmoreland County 800 MHz Radio Standard Operating GuidelinesEmergency Button ActivationClearing an Emergency Button ActivationIf Determined to be False ActivationIf Threat is Removed and/or Under ControlDispatcher will notify radio operator to clear the Emergency ButtonPress and hold emergency button for 2 to 5 seconds until a steady tone is heard, then release the buttonAccidental (Trip) ActivationDispatcher Will Call Your RadioTell the Dispatcher it was an Accidental ActivationDispatcher Will Notify You to ResetIf You Activate the EBA, Do Not Switch TAC’s

36 Westmoreland County 800 MHz Radio Standard Operating GuidelinesDispatching of DrillsRequest Made in WritingAt Least 24 hrs. in AdvanceList All Agencies Involved With RequestSigned by Appropriate OfficerFax toActivate and Announce Only OnceShould Use Talkaround if PossibleRequest TAC if AvailablePrior Permission Needed to Use 800 System

37 Westmoreland County 800 MHz Radio Standard Operating GuidelinesAnnouncementsCommunications Center announcements will take place on the Fire Zone Command Talkgroup and 33.70Weather related announcements will take place on the Zone Command Talkgroup and 33.70

38 Westmoreland County 800 MHz Radio Standard Operating GuidelinesGeneral CommunicationsMake sure the transmit button is completely depressed and the three “permit tones” are heard before talkingHold the microphone or portable approximately 1½ to 2 inches away from your mouth and at an approximately degree angleTalk across the mic instead of directly into itTalk in a normal volume and toneDo not shout into the microphone

39 Westmoreland County 800 MHz Radio Standard Operating GuidelinesGeneral CommunicationsMake call in “To” and “From” formatBeware of open micsDo not lay the mic on the seat or in your lapKeep messages shortAvoid unnecessary wordsAvoid long-winded descriptionsDo not repeat yourselfThink about what you’ll say before transmitting45 second time-out-timer

40 Westmoreland County 800 MHz Radio Standard Operating GuidelinesNon-Emergency Status ReportsOut of ServiceUnit is NOT available for dispatchIn ServiceUnit is available for dispatchNon-Emergency Status Reports may be made via radio on the respective Zone Fire Command ChannelIf a unit is going to be out of service for more than a few hours, report should be made via telephone to the center